Texas Roadhouse vs LongHorn comes down to value versus polish. Texas Roadhouse starts sirloins at $16.99, includes two sides, and pours unlimited rolls. LongHorn sits a tier higher on price, runs a quieter dining room, and takes real reservations.
Company fact box: who owns what
These are two unrelated companies with different owners, different home states, and a twelve-year gap in founding dates. Texas Roadhouse operates itself; LongHorn is one brand inside Darden’s portfolio, which shapes how each chain prices and promotes.
| Fact | Texas Roadhouse | LongHorn Steakhouse | How to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1993, first store in Clarksville, Indiana | 1981, first store in Atlanta, Georgia | Each brand’s corporate “our story” page |
| Founder | Kent Taylor | George McKerrow Jr. | Company history pages |
| Parent company | Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (independent, NASDAQ: TXRH) | Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) | SEC filings / investor relations |
| Headquarters | Louisville, Kentucky | Orlando, Florida (Darden HQ) | Investor relations contact page |
| Approximate location count | 700+ across all brands (Texas Roadhouse, Bubba’s 33, Jaggers) | 570+ LongHorn restaurants | Latest quarterly earnings release — counts change every quarter |
| Sister brands | Bubba’s 33, Jaggers | Olive Garden, Cheddar’s, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris | Parent company brand list |
Location counts move constantly. Treat the numbers above as of mid-2026 and pull the current figure from each company’s most recent quarterly release before you cite it anywhere.
Price Comparison — Every Category
Texas Roadhouse is the cheaper restaurant in nearly every category, and the gap widens once sides and bread enter the math. We can publish exact Texas Roadhouse prices; LongHorn’s vary enough by market that we give bands and tell you to check.
| Category | Texas Roadhouse (verified) | LongHorn (typical band — verify locally) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry sirloin | 6oz $16.99 / 8oz $18.99 | Generally a few dollars higher for the comparable cut |
| Ribeye | 12oz $24.99 | Mid-to-high $20s, more for the oversized cuts |
| Filet | 6oz Dallas Filet $26.99 | High $20s to low $30s |
| Largest steak on menu | 23oz Porterhouse $28.99 | 18oz ribeye is the headline cut |
| Ribs | Half slab $18.99 / full slab $24.99 | Ribs are not a core menu pillar |
| Shared appetizer | Cactus Blossom $8.99 | Low double digits for onion/loaded starters |
| Extra sides | $2.99 | Comparable or slightly higher |
| Kids meals | $5.99–$7.99 | Runs higher, roughly high single digits to low teens |
| Bread | Free, unlimited rolls (~230 cal each) | Complimentary bread, brought by the loaf |
Two Texas Roadhouse 8oz sirloins with four sides and bread lands near $38 in food cost. The equivalent LongHorn order regularly runs in the $55–$75 range depending on market. Prices at both chains vary by location, so confirm on the app or by calling.
Portion Sizes — Who Gives You More?
LongHorn wins on maximum steak weight; Texas Roadhouse wins on everything surrounding the steak. If you measure “more food per dollar,” Texas Roadhouse takes it on the included sides alone.
- Sides: every Texas Roadhouse entree includes two sides. LongHorn typically includes one. That single difference is worth about $3 per plate before you consider quality.
- Bread: Texas Roadhouse bakes rolls in small batches all service and refills them without asking. LongHorn brings bread once per table.
- Ceiling cut: LongHorn’s 18oz ribeye outweighs the Texas Roadhouse 12oz ribeye, but the 23oz Porterhouse at $28.99 is the heaviest single plate between the two.
- Ribs: a full slab at Texas Roadhouse is $24.99 and 1,450 calories. LongHorn doesn’t build its menu around ribs at all.
Steak Quality — A Real Breakdown
Both chains hand-cut USDA Choice beef in-house rather than receiving pre-portioned steaks. The meaningful differences are cooking method and consistency, not grade. LongHorn cooks over a hotter proprietary grill; Texas Roadhouse leans on seasoning and a broad char.
What that means at the table: LongHorn tends to deliver a darker, drier crust and a slightly more restaurant-style presentation. Texas Roadhouse seasons heavily and serves fast, which reads as saltier to some diners and as flavor to others. Neither is dry-aged, neither is Prime grade as standard, and both will be cooked a shade past your order on a busy Saturday. If a precise medium-rare matters, order it one notch under at either chain.
Calorie load is worth knowing before you order. The 6oz sirloin is 250 calories, the 8oz is 340, the 12oz ribeye is 960, and the 6oz Dallas Filet is 270. Sides, rolls, and the 2,250-calorie Cactus Blossom are where the number climbs.
Atmosphere Experience
This is the sharpest split between the two, and it decides most people’s answer. Texas Roadhouse is deliberately loud: country music, peanut shells, servers line-dancing on the hour, birthday saddle rides. LongHorn runs a quieter room with dimmer lighting and no floor show.
Practical consequences: Texas Roadhouse absorbs a screaming toddler without anyone noticing, and it is genuinely hard to hold a business conversation there. LongHorn works for a date night, an anniversary, or a table where people need to hear each other. Neither is a white-tablecloth restaurant, so don’t overdress for either.
Which one can you actually get a table at?
LongHorn is easier to plan around because it accepts real reservations. Texas Roadhouse does not take reservations at any location; it offers call-ahead seating and app-based waitlist entry, which shortens your wait but does not hold a table.
On a Friday or Saturday between 6pm and 8pm, expect a meaningful wait at Texas Roadhouse. Adding your name through the app before you leave the house is the single most effective thing you can do. Wait behavior varies enormously by store and season, so call the specific location if timing is tight.
Deals, Discounts & Loyalty Programs
Texas Roadhouse runs more recurring, predictable discounts. Early Dine plates land around $10.99–$12.99 on weekdays before 6pm, and happy hour typically runs Monday through Friday 3–5pm with margaritas from $5.99 to $9.99.
Both chains operate a rewards app with birthday offers. The difference is the standing weekday value: Texas Roadhouse’s Early Dine window is a permanent menu, not a limited promotion. Participation and exact Early Dine cutoff times vary by store, and some locations skip it entirely, so confirm before you drive over. Military, veteran, and senior discount availability is also set locally rather than nationally.
Where does Outback fit in the three-way?
Searches for LongHorn vs Texas Roadhouse vs Outback usually mean one question: which of the three is cheapest, and what do you give up? Outback (Bloomin’ Brands, founded 1988, Tampa HQ) sits closer to LongHorn on price and closer to Texas Roadhouse on noise.
| Dimension | Texas Roadhouse | LongHorn | Outback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price position | Lowest of the three | Highest of the three | Middle to high |
| Free bread | Unlimited rolls + cinnamon butter | Complimentary loaf | Complimentary brown bread |
| Sides included | Two | Usually one | Usually one plus salad options |
| Signature starter | Cactus Blossom $8.99 | Wings and dips | Bloomin’ Onion |
| Reservations | None; call-ahead only | Yes | Yes at most locations |
| Room volume | Loud | Calm | Moderate |
If price is the deciding factor, the order is Texas Roadhouse, then Outback, then LongHorn. If quiet and a guaranteed table matter more, that order flips.
Our Verdict — Which Should You Choose?
Pick Texas Roadhouse when you’re feeding a family, watching the bill, or want the most food on the table. Pick LongHorn when you want a calm room, a booked table, and a bigger ribeye, and you accept paying a tier more for it.
- Family of four on a budget: Texas Roadhouse. Kids meals at $5.99–$7.99, two sides per entree, and free rolls make the total predictable.
- Anniversary or a conversation that matters: LongHorn. You can reserve, and you can hear each other.
- Biggest steak for the money: Texas Roadhouse. The 23oz Porterhouse at $28.99 is the value outlier.
- Weeknight dinner before 6pm: Texas Roadhouse, on Early Dine, if your store participates.
- Ribs: Texas Roadhouse by default. LongHorn isn’t competing there.
What this comparison can’t tell you
We publish Texas Roadhouse prices we’ve verified and deliberately withhold specific LongHorn prices, because LongHorn menus vary by market and we won’t present a guess as fact. Every LongHorn figure here is a range you should confirm on their app or by phone.
We are an independent guide with no affiliation to Texas Roadhouse, Darden Restaurants, or Bloomin’ Brands. Location counts, Early Dine participation, happy hour timing, discount eligibility, and wait behavior are all set at or near store level and change without notice. Steak quality judgments are informed opinion, not measurement. When money or timing depends on it, call the specific restaurant.
Texas Roadhouse vs LongHorn — Common Questions
Is Texas Roadhouse cheaper than LongHorn Steakhouse?
Yes, in nearly every category. Texas Roadhouse sirloins start at $16.99 for 6oz and $18.99 for 8oz, and every entree includes two sides plus unlimited free rolls. A comparable LongHorn dinner for two typically lands well above the roughly $38 food cost of the same order at Texas Roadhouse. Confirm current LongHorn pricing locally.
Does LongHorn Steakhouse have unlimited rolls like Texas Roadhouse?
No. LongHorn serves complimentary bread by the loaf, brought once to the table. Texas Roadhouse bakes yeast rolls in small batches throughout service, serves them with honey cinnamon butter, and refills them free for as long as you’re seated. Each roll is roughly 230 calories.
Which has better steak quality, Texas Roadhouse or LongHorn?
Both hand-cut USDA Choice beef in-house, so the grade is the same. LongHorn’s hotter proprietary grill produces a darker crust and it offers a larger 18oz ribeye. Texas Roadhouse seasons more aggressively and tends to be more consistent store to store at a lower price point.
Which steakhouse has bigger portions?
It splits. LongHorn has the larger headline steak at 18oz versus the 12oz Texas Roadhouse ribeye. Texas Roadhouse wins on total food: two included sides per entree instead of one, unlimited rolls instead of a single loaf, and a 23oz Porterhouse at $28.99.
Which is better for a family dinner with kids?
Texas Roadhouse, clearly. Kids meals run $5.99–$7.99, the room is loud enough that no one notices a restless child, peanuts and rolls arrive immediately, and there’s a floor show every hour. LongHorn’s quieter dining room suits date nights and business dinners better.
Does Texas Roadhouse take reservations like LongHorn?
No. Texas Roadhouse offers call-ahead seating and app waitlist entry only, which reduces your wait but does not hold a table. LongHorn accepts standard reservations. If you need a guaranteed table at a fixed time, LongHorn is the safer booking.
Which chain has better recurring deals?
Texas Roadhouse. Early Dine plates run about $10.99–$12.99 on weekdays before 6pm and happy hour is typically Monday to Friday 3–5pm with margaritas from $5.99. Both chains have rewards apps and birthday offers, but Early Dine is a permanent everyday menu. Participation varies by location.
Are Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn owned by the same company?
No. Texas Roadhouse, Inc. is an independent public company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, founded in 1993. LongHorn Steakhouse is owned by Darden Restaurants, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, and was founded in Atlanta in 1981. They share no ownership.